Million Miles Away
by Labrynth
Summary: Cade isn't the only one who is different than other people.


Million Miles Away Disclaimer: None of the characters in the story belong to me with the exception of the girl:) This is set somewhere between Mabus and Raven nation in the third season. 

*******

Million Miles Away

The sun against his face slowly brought him from the depths of sleep. He was almost awake when he realized he wasn't alone. Skin pressed against skin, and he could feel the breath of someone he couldn't quite recall against his shoulder. 

His bare shoulder.

Snapping his eyes open, he looked to his right. The girl that lay there seemed vaguely familiar to him, but he couldn't quite come up with a name. Not one to be interested in a one-night stand, not with all that was going on, Cade Foster had to wonder what in the nine hells had happened this time. Waking up without any idea of what had happened was highly over rated.

Working his way out from under the girl's head, he slipped out of bed, relieved to find that he was at least wearing boxers. Still, not a way he'd like to get caught, but at least he wasn't butt naked. Looking around the room, he spotted his jeans on a chair and reached for them. No sooner had he slipped them on than he heard her stir in the bed.

"Cade?" Her voice was filled with sleep and she didn't open her eyes.

But the fact that she knew his name and he didn't know hers was something that made him very unhappy. In fact, it made him down right cranky.

"Hey!" he nearly yelled as he half kicked the bed with a bare foot.

Startling violet eyes opened as he stood there, shirt in hand. The look in them wasn't friendly.

"Do you treat all the people who save your life this way? If so, it wouldn't surprise me if no one bothered." The words were a grumble. Apparently she decided she wasn't going to get any more sleep because she stretched then sat up slowly. The sheet fell away to reveal a tank top.

Cade was even more relieved to know that she hadn't been naked either.

"You saved my life?" He blinked at her, then took another look around the room. His memory was fuzzy, which was something he was getting more and more used to these days. There was a dull throb in his head that seemed to be spreading behind his eyes. He vaguely recalled a fight and a girl. But in all honesty, he couldn't be certain if this was the girl.

"You might say that," she snorted then turned her back to him and swung her feet to the floor. Light danced across her brown hair, making the red highlights look like flames. "I know you got a whack to the head, but you seemed ok last night."

"Whack to the head?" He blinked at her back, his mind reaching out to pull unraveled memories together.

She nodded and stood. While Cade might have been comfortable standing around in his boxers if need be, he wasn't comfortable with her standing around in a tank top and underwear. Especially when he couldn't remember her name.

"Do you mind?" he grumbled, turning around to face the chair that held the rest of his clothes.

He was pulling his shirt over his head when she answered.

"Not really, no. But obviously you do. Too bad you're going to have to suffer until I take a shower. Then I'll fix you."

"Fix me?"

But she was already in the bathroom by the time he turned for his answer.

***

"How's your head?" she asked as she wandered out of the bathroom, dripping water on the floor as she tucked the edge of the towel under another edge to hold it up.

Cade opened his mouth to answer, then realized the dull ache that he woke up with was threatening to do some major damage.

"I don't think it's getting any better," he finally managed, unsure of what else he should say. For all he knew, this girl was an alien. He snorted, wished he hadn't. Cade Foster, twice blessed man, savior of the humans, in bed with an alien. Oh it just didn't get any better than this.

He muttered something under his breath, then sighed. When he looked up, she was standing in front of him.

Crooking her finger at him, she looked him in the eye. "Come here."

"Huh?"

"I said, come here. Or did you lose your hearing too?"

"Why?" He eyed her warily, trying to decide how much of a threat a girl in a towel really was. A sudden flash of Hannah, wearing nothing more than a towel and an impish grin made him realize she could be a whole lot of trouble. Shoving away the flare of pain in his heart at the thought of his wife, he shook his head.

"Not until you tell me who you are."

The girl sighed, then flopped down on the bed in front of him. He closed his eyes, not really wanting to know if the towel had fallen or not. This was just too much.

"Oh please," she said admonishingly, "I really have no interest in seducing you. I don't settle for being second best."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Cade demanded, anger shoving aside his uneasiness.

Violet eyes locked onto his. Her voice was calm, with no sense of mocking or sarcasm. "Would any other woman ever be anything but second best?"

He searched her face, trying to find an answer to any of the millions of questions he had. Her face gave away nothing however, so he settled for the truth.

"No."

She nodded slowly, watching him. "Didn't think so." Finally she reached out a hand to his. "It's easier if I can touch you, but if you're going to fight me on this, then I won't."

"Fight you on what?" He leaned back in the chair, away from the hand. "I don't even know who you are."

"Well, if you'd stop being so damn stubborn, you'd know. I need to see how much damage you sustained. If I'd known you weren't ok, I wouldn't have let you sleep. That couldn't have helped you any." Regret tinged her words. "I should have checked you over first. Just to be sure. But you were so edgy"

None of her words seemed to make sense to him. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't weave them together. And then it was as if his world was muted. Fog made colors grey, sounds came to him as if he was underwater. Then the pain shot through his head and he screamed.

***

"Cade?" The voice was gentle, full of concern. 

Brown hair fell down around him. And while he could see the hair, he couldn't see the face that was attached to it. A girl a woman leaning over him.

"Hannah?" It was the first name that came to his lips.

She pulled away slightly as if stung. "No, I'm sorry. Not Hannah."

Blinking, he tried to ease up to his elbows only to find his head felt as if it were being split in two.

"Shh, no. Lay back down. I need you to stay awake Cade. I'm going to fix this."

"Hannah" The name escaped his lips one more time and then the world faded away.

***

He felt skin next to his before he opened his eyes. The smell of citrus and ginger wafted up to his nose, sending a streak of pain across his head. A murmur escaped his lips before he could stop it.

"Hold still," she whispered gently. "Stay with me Foster."

Black snakes of oblivion reached out for him. The struggle just didn't seem worth it and he felt himself begin to slip away. Words floated around him, but none of them meant anything to him. At least not until he heard a voice. One that he only heard in dreams and nightmares now.

"Cade, please, you need to stay awake." 

He could feel her breath against his ear.

"I know it hurts. I wish I could take it away. But you have to stay awake."

"Hannah" The name was no more than a sigh.

"Please Cade. Stay awake. She can help you."

The warmth of breath cooled from his ear. The pain went from his head to his heart, making it feel as if it had been ripped out of his chest. She was dead. Never to speak to him again.

"Foster, be still. Don't open your eyes, but don't let yourself fall asleep."

The image of her face, violet eyes almost burning, flashed in his mind. Cade managed a faint nod, but nothing more.

Fingers touched his face lightly and then rested against his temples. Instinctively he flinched, suspecting the pain in his head would surge at this small touch. Instead he felt a coolness wind its way into his brain and soothe the ache.

The ache retreated further, pulling itself away from the backs of his eyes. Soon it was resting in the back of his head. Gradually, the pain faded away completely.

Starting to move, he felt hands grab him, holding him down. Snapping his eyes open, Cade looked up, finding violet eyes looking directly into his. Her head dipped down and for one brief instant, he thought she intended to kiss him.

The woman moved slightly, her cheek rubbing briefly against his. For some strange reason he felt as if she were smelling him. She moved, her cheek brushing against his ear, his hair, and then she was on the other side. Suddenly, she jerked back and looked down at him. The expression on her face was startled. Scrambling back, she shoved herself off the bed and stood.

"It's true." The statement was one of astonishment.

"Huh?" Cade rose to his elbows and looked at her. Her eyes were wide as she stared back at him. Slowly she took a step back.

"You're him." She shook her head once, then laughed frailly. "I never believed it was true."

"I'm who? And what isn't true?" He rose slowly, finally coming to a sitting position, still expecting his head to split open.

Stomping her foot, she managed a grumbled "Shit" as she spun around away from him. He could hear her muttering something under her breath, but couldn't quite make out what she was saying. Then she waved her hand as if shooing away a bug. With a deep breath, she turned back around to face him again.

"The twice blessed man."

"Oh, that," he said. It just wasn't as impressive the millionth time around.

Her hand shooed at something again and she frowned in the general direction, then looked at him again. "Yeah, that." Violet eyes searched his face and then, "But it's not something you really believe is it?"

"What do you mean?" Foster frowned at her. She wasn't making any sense.

"You don't believe you're going to save everyone. You don't really believe that you'll be the one to bring them down. That you're really the one Nostradamus spoke of."

He shrugged. "I guess I'm as good a person as any to do it. Is that what you mean?"

Strands of hair fell across her face as she shook her head. "You think it. You accept it. But in your heart in your soul, you don't really believe it."

"Not sure what you're getting at."

She frowned again, first at him and then to her right. "It's not something I can explain. You'll just have to understand it when it's time." Another scowl to her right and a faint hiss.

"What the hell are you looking at?" Cade worked his way to the edge of the bed and stood.

The girl offered a slight grin. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." The 'try me' look on his face made her grin a little more. "Just the voices in my head," she offered finally.

"Voices?" His voice was skeptical.

"Something like that," she affirmed. "I see things a little differently than you do. Than most people do."

Cade frowned. "Please tell me you're not an alien."

Blinking, the girl frowned. "Not that I'm aware of, no." A shrug. "Just human I think."

"You think?"

She opened her mouth to answer, then froze. Eyes went wide once more and she looked at the door. Her voice was a harsh whisper when she spoke.

"Get your things. Now. The window in the bathroom. Go. I'll be right behind you."

He started to argue, but the look on her face was enough to stop him. She looked scared. Scared and determined. Snatching his jacket up off the back of the chair the rest of his clothes had been in, he glanced around to see if anything else was his. A cool draft reminded him he was still shoeless. Bending down, he grabbed his shoes, happily noting his socks were stuffed in them.

"Go," she hissed again, then turned to face the door directly. 

Knowing when not to argue, Cade ran for the bathroom.

*****

His feet hit the hard concrete as the first scream rang out. At first he thought it was the girl, but as he turned back towards the window it changed. Knowing exactly what had come then, he ran across the parking lot, not feeling the rocks that were cutting up his feet.

***

She didn't know how he did it, but the door flew open as if thrown by an explosion the same time Cade slipped from the window. A slight grin touched her lips as the alien stepped in.

"You," he growled, stepping forward to annihilate the pesky human.

Before he could take more than two steps, he felt the pain wind through him. It burned like a fire had been lit inside of him. He screamed then, patting at his clothes as if they were on fire. Then it changed, fire turning to a different kind of pain. This one ripping through him like a giant held him in it's hand and was pulling him apart. Suddenly he could see daylight through the rip in his chest.

His face rippled and then his body flashed red. The body and essence were no more as the red faded.

***  
Woods lay against the back of the hotel, and Cade couldn't help but think she had chosen this particular hotel partly for that reason. He made a mad dash for the tree line, waiting until he made it past a few rows before stopping. Dropping to the ground, he began to work his feet into his socks. He was putting his last shoe on when he heard footsteps.

Peering around the trunk of a tree, he spotted her coming towards him. She wasn't running, but she wasn't out for a leisurely stroll either. Even though he was sure she hadn't actually laid eyes on him, she came right for the spot where he sat.

"We gotta go," she told him as she looked around nervously. "It's not safe here anymore." Dropping a dark backpack that had been slung over her shoulder to the ground, she unzipped it and fished around inside. Pulling out a 9mm she tossed it to Cade. "Might need this. Doesn't hurt to be prepared anyway."

When she pulled the backpack back over her shoulder, Cade frowned at her. "What about you?"

"Me?" She blinked slightly at him, surprised by the question. Then again, he hadn't been in the hotel room, and he didn't remember the night before. "Let's just say guns aren't my best weapon."

"Yeah, right." Brushing himself off lightly, Cade rose then tucked the gun into the waistband of his pants. "Before we go anywhere, do you plan on telling me your name?"

Violet eyes sparkled brightly and she smiled. For some reason it reminded him of Hannah.

"Raine. You can call me Raine."

*******

She pulled the dark Chevy Blazer into the parking lot of a fast food restaurant. Putting the vehicle in park, she turned the key off and looked at him.

"What do you want?"

Cade blinked, his mind being pulled out of the realm that was his and his alone. "Huh?"

"Food."

He looked around, then shrugged. "Doesn't matter. Whatever."

"Oh, you're one of those." Raine grinned at him slightly. "When was the last time you ate?"

"I" He trailed off in time to hear his own stomach growl. "I know I had breakfast yesterday morning. But everything after that is kinda fuzzy."

She nodded. "You'll get your memory back, but it might be a little slow. I didn't want to do too much. Don't wanna mess up the Twice-Blessed Man and all." Jerking her chin, she indicated a few picnic tables set off to the side of the building in a small grassy area. "Go sit down, back to the parking lot if you please. I'll grab some food."

He slid from the SUV, still slightly dazed by everything that seemed to have happened in the past 24 hours. "Money," he managed as he rounded the back of the car. 

"No worries. Plenty." He looked at her strangely and she shrugged. "Something I'll have to explain later."

With that she walked towards the door, leaving him behind to entertain himself.

***

The bags of food sat on the table, but she didn't touch any of them. Instead she reached back and began to braid her long hair tightly. In the light of the sun, her dark hair had gone red, reminding him briefly of Jordan. The Raven Nation. He sighed. He still wasn't sure what to make of them.

Tossing the braid behind her shoulder, Raine looked at him for a second, then tilted her head slightly, as if hearing something he couldn't hear.

"You ok?" he asked after a full minute.

Blinking, she nodded, then offered a faint smile. "Fine. Hungry. I think I forgot to eat yesterday."

"You forgot to eat?"

"Sometimes I get busy," she told him with a shrug. Grabbing one bag, she peered inside, then tossed it to him. "That's most certainly not mine." She grabbed the second and reached inside, pulling out a large salad. "Much better," she mumbled more to herself than to him.

They ate in silence for a while. Cade's head was spinning with questions about her. About how she had found him. What she was here for. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't shut it down.

Picking at the remnants of her lettuce, she looked up at him. Violet eyes were an odd blue in the indirect sunlight. Shadows played across her face strangely and Cade had the sudden feeling that he had met her before.

"Go ahead. I know you're dying over there."

Playing with the last few fries that were remaining, Cade tried to decide where to even start.

"Have I met you before?" he asked finally with a slight frown.

Shaking her head, the braid moved across her back. "No, I don't think so. Not that I can remember anyway. Why?"

"Something just seems very familiar."

An emotion flashed across her face too quickly for Cade to guess what it was. She took a drink of her soda, swallowed hard, then met his eyes.

"I don't think we've physically met, no."

He guessed there was something more to the story, but didn't think now was the time to dig for it. She didn't strike him as a liar. Guarded, yes. But she wasn't lying to him. Not yet anyway.

"There was an alien after us this morning, wasn't there?"

Raine nodded. "I sensed him coming. You weren't capable of dealing with him at that point."

"Is he dead?"

"Yes."

"How? I didn't hear gun shots."

Eyes glanced around nervously before looking at him again. "Have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons?"

"Huh?" Suddenly he wondered if she intended to answer him. "The game?"

"Yes."

"Not really, why?"

She frowned slightly, then sighed. "Are you familiar with the term psionic?"

"Not really, explain it."

"In the D&D realm, psionics are people who can control the energy of their minds. They can perform telekinesis, illusions, sometimes even cause hallucinations. They can alter the energy of someone else's mind as well." Watching her, Cade knew she was trying to find a good way to explain. Struggling with the words. "They have no control over magicks of any kind, they can only manipulate energies. Living energies really."

Nodding, he tried to encourage her to continue.

"Ever since I was a kid, I could do things. My mom used to tell me that when I was a baby, if she wasn't fast enough with a bottle, the bottle would somehow go from the counter to my crib without her touching it. When I was five, I woke up screaming from a nightmare. I wanted Grandpa. Kept up the tirade until my parent finally broke down and called.

When they did, they got no answer. It was only a few minutes later that my Grandmother called to tell my father that his dad was in the hospital. He had had a heart attack and was in ICU. They didn't expect him to live past morning."

Sadness poured off of her at the mention of her Grandparents. Cade fought the urge to reach across the table and take her hand in his.

"My Grandma died a year later. Heartbroken at the loss of her husband. I knew it had happened before anyone else. I told them that she had come to my room to tell me good bye."

Raine shivered slightly.

"My parents took it all in stride. They actually encouraged the use of my abilities. Sometimes they'd set up tests to see what I could do. As a kid I could do a lot of things. Move objects, create small illusions.

"When I was twelve, I had a seizure. No one could explain it. The doctors worried that I was developing some form of epilepsy. I seized for almost three hours. They were beginning to worry about brain function.

"And then it was over. I was out for a good 24 hours. When I came to, I told my parents that Grandma and Grandpa Blake had told me to tell them they were ok. My parents blew it off, thinking it was some kind of coma induced delusion."

She sighed and somehow managed to pull her knees up to her chest, propping her heels on the narrow bench under her.

"It wasn't too long after that I found myself able to see things differently. I could see structures of things. Like inside buildings the steel framing." She looked at him. "I could even sense the actual molecules that made up the frame."

Cade blinked. Molecules?

"I learned to play with them. Manipulate them." Slowly, she held out her arm. Letting her feet drop back to the ground, she slid a finger across her wrist. As the finger passed, a line of blood formed. The skin had been split without the use of any kind of blade.

"Christ!" Cade exclaimed as he reached for her arm. Grabbing it, he nearly pulled her over the table. Taking one of the unused napkins from the table he pressed it against the wound. She smiled faintly at him, then shook her head.

"No need," she told him softly. "It's gone."

Letting the napkin slide away, he looked down at her clean arm.

"Reality or illusion?" he asked in a shaky voice.

"Reality," she replied, pulling her arm from his hands. Letting a finger slide through the droplets of blood that had fallen to the tabletop, she looked at him again. "Blood never lies."

"Is that how you do it?"

"Sort of," she confirmed. "You can do things different ways. Sort of nudge the molecules apart to split them or you can just rip them apart. Break the bonds that hold them together with enough force to-"

"Make an alien scream for his life?"

"Yeah."

"And that's what you did?"

"Yeah."

"That's why you don't need a gun?"

"Mostly." She shrugged. "And I'm a really bad shot."

He couldn't help it, he laughed. "I'll keep that in mind."

"You do that." The tenseness seemed to seep out of her and she stood, gathering her trash. "Come on. We need to get moving again. In a few hours we'll stop and you can call Eddie."

"Eddie? Why?"

"Well, I figure that you want him to check out my story and all."

Foster said nothing.

"Besides, we need to meet him. Something's going down."

*******

They had ridden in silence for what seemed like an eternity. In reality it was barely an hour and a half. Raine shrugged her shoulders, holding them tightly up for a few seconds before letting them fall back to their normal position.

"You ok?" Cade asked finally, unsure if she would actually tell him if she were or not.

"Tired, tense," she offered, glancing at him slightly. "Been a long 24 hours or so."

"I know that feeling," he muttered softly. Finally, after more silence, "How old are you?"

She snorted, glancing at him and then looking back at the road. "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not nice to ask a girl her age?"

He shrugged, unwilling to really answer the question, but not able to contain his thoughts. "You just seem so young."

"Sure, and when you were my age, you were already breaking into things."

Cade scowled at her. "Probably, yeah." Shaking his head, he looked out the windshield. "So how old are you?"

Raine glanced at him again. Finally she answered, "I'm 24. 25 next month. Provided I make it that long."

Nodding, Cade kept his eyes on the road in front of them. "Do you know anything about the Raven Nation?"

"Not really," she told him. "Probably no more than you know. Want to fight the aliens, keep them from taking over. All that. I know they think you've been a little gentle thus far. I think they're more into killing them than exposing them."

"They were probably right," Foster grumbled. He let out a sigh. Then, "How do you know about the aliens?"

A pained look crossed her face, then she shrugged as she seemed to wipe it away. "They don't look like us."

"Huh?" Cade didn't get it. They all looked human. In fact, they looked like what every human would want to look like. Beautiful and gorgeous, without flaws.

With a scowl, she tried to explain. "Everyone gives off energy. It shapes them and is shaped by who we are. Their energy is different. It feels different looks different."

"Wow." He didn't know what else to say. "How long have you been able to see them?"

"I'm not sure exactly." Her hands shook slightly against the steering wheel and a small tremor ran through her body. "As far back as I can remember, I've been able to see those who were different. I didn't know they weren't human until a few years ago. After I read your journals." She swallowed hard. "My mom used to tell me that we had a neighbor when I was really young just learning to walk. Every time she would come over, I'd cry. Scream my lungs out. I still dream about her sometimes. I think she was one of them."

Soaking it in, Cade said nothing. It was a lot to take. Then again, maybe he had reached his limit of absorbing information. He'd had to do it too much the past few years.

"What else do you see? I mean, about people?"

A slight shrug. "I see auras energies. I can usually sense intentions. Sometimes I can hear their thoughts." She looked at him, daring to take her eyes off the road for more than a few seconds. "I've seen evil. I've seen it boil inside of people. Something that sits inside of them where a soul should be. It's out there. Never think it's not."

Letting out a breath, unaware he'd been holding it, Cade blinked at her. Even after all he'd seen, everything he'd done, he couldn't quite wrap his mind around everything she was telling him. Couldn't imagine what it must be like to see the world through her eyes.

"I've never seen the world any other way," she whispered as she looked back at the road. He didn't have a response to that, so he said nothing. After a few miles, she spoke again. "There's a rest area another five or so miles down the road. We'll stop there and you can call Eddie."

Cade nodded, then looked at her again. He had to know one more thing. "How did you know I wasn't dead? If you were reading the journals" Pausing, he wondered how much she really knew about him. "You had to have seen me killed. Everyone saw it. That's the way we wanted it."

A shadow of a smile touched her mouth at his question.

"Every time I ever saw a picture of you, ever saw footage of you, there was always an energy that radiated from you. An aura that was almost blinding. I saw the husk get shot, but I knew it wasn't you. It was dark. Nothing came from it. There wasn't anything more than an empty shell." She paused until he seemed to accept it and then, "And a little birdie told me."

"A little birdie?"

"Something like that." Pulling into a parking spot, she put the Blazer into park and looked at him. "I'll explain it all later, but I only want to do it once. So you'll have to wait for Eddie. I'm sure you'll want to research it all anyway. I'll tell you both everything then."

And with that, she swung the door open and slid out.

"Totally have to pee. Make your call."

***

"Foster?" Eddie's voice was almost panicked. 

Cade couldn't help a faint smile at the tone of his friend's voice. "It's me," he said, "I'm ok."

"Man! Where the hell are you?! You didn't report in."

"Long story my friend. Part of which I'm not exactly sure of."

"Huh?"

"Exactly."

Cade could almost feel Eddie's mind working.

"Uh, Foster, you sure you're ok?"

"Yeah. In one piece even."

"Okay" There was silence for a few seconds, and then, "Did you find out anything?"

"Anything about what?"

"What do you mean anything about what? You didn't go out to Missouri for a fishing trip you know."

"Yeah, right." Cade looked around and suddenly realized that he hadn't even known what state he had been in. "I'm not sure. Exactly." Eddie's imminent explosion sent Cade rushing on. "It's kind of a long story. One that I don't think I can explain myself. You're probably gonna wanna hear it to. How close are you?"

"Depends. Where are you at exactly?"

Looking around for some indication, Cade shrugged his shoulders to no one. He almost admitted he knew nothing, and then he heard the answer whispered behind him.

"You're heading towards Macon. Long Branch Lake. Tell him to come to the campgrounds. Spot number 26."

Reciting the words, he turned to look at her. Her hands were tucked into her pockets and she was looking up at the sky. Murmuring something, she cast a glance to her left, then looked back up.

"Foster, who was that?"

"I'll explain what I can when you get there. Just hurry. Please."

"Two hours."

Flipping the cell phone shut, he watched as she shook her head slightly and sighed. He started to speak, but was stopped by a strange look on her face. It was an expression he couldn't quite pin down. Part longing, part sadness, and part something else. Loss maybe. She hissed a faint, "no" and then closed her eyes.

"Raine?" His voice was soft. This time the concern was for her. "You ok?"

Startled out of someplace he wasn't allowed, she tried a smile. It was even fainter than usual, but he said nothing.

"Tired I guess. Mind tricks can wipe you out. Healing you this morning took a lot."

Without thinking about it, he stepped forward, reaching out to touch her arm. "Thanks," he told her, "for helping." His hand fell away. "Not that I remember all of it. Any of it. But thanks."

She offered a modest shrug. "It's kinda what I do." Without an explanation, she headed for the black SUV. "You can make it up to me by driving. Just keep following 36. You can't really miss the big ass sign when you get to it.

Foster nodded, unsure of what had suddenly made her so withdrawn. Not that she was an open book before, but now he could almost see her moving further and further from him, even as she climbed in beside him.

Pulling out of the parking spot, he stopped to shift the car into drive and cast a glance at her. She was already curled up in the seat, sleep taking her somewhere else. With a soft sigh and more than a mountain of curiosity, he put it in drive and headed for the campground.

*******

"Looks like someone beat us here," Cade said as he pulled close to the pre-specified spot.

Raine frowned slightly, squinting ahead, then shook her head. "It's good." She glanced at Cade. "You're not the only one with connections you know. It's mine. It's not like Eddie has a lot of room."

"Right," Foster agreed, then pulled into the mini driveway for the spot.

Slipping out of the vehicle, Raine closed the door and stretched. Watching her closely, Cade took note of the fact that she seemed in a little better shape, though she still appeared worn out. He wondered what she had meant when she said that healing him had taken a lot out of her. Hopefully she would explain it later.

Tossing a glance at her watch, Raine sighed softly. All she really wanted to do right now was lay back down and sleep for a few days. However, she didn't think those who had driven her here would allow that. Hopefully Eddie would arrive soon and she could tell her story, then try to sleep some more. She'd be no help if she couldn't get it together.

"Come on," she told Cade as she reached for the door of the RV that had been parked there. "We can wait inside. There should be food if you're hungry."

***

"You know, if you weren't hungry" Raine jerked her chin towards the sandwich Cade had been picking at for the last fifteen minutes.

"I thought I was," he scowled. Staring down at the simple meal, he started to speak, then paused, his mind reaching back, trying to remember any meal he'd had the day before. Something after breakfast.

Taking note of the strange expression on his face, Raine leaned back in her seat. Remembering was rarely easy after such an event, and there wasn't much more she could do to help him remember.

"Cain." The name came to him from no where. True, Cade knew who Cain was, but he was suddenly sure that was whom Raine had saved him from the night before.

"He was there, yes," she told him carefully.

Cocking his head to the side, Foster stretched his mind, trying to reach for the memories that should have been there.

"An alley. We were fighting." A slight nod from the girl sitting across from him. "He had something some new weapon maybe?"

Bottom lip between teeth, Raine offered another nod. Even though he wasn't exactly right, she was reluctant to say anything. To offer up the details he should be able to remember could keep him from trying. And if he didn't try, he'd never recover the time he lost.

"You'd been following me all day. I was about to call Eddie, to ask him if he could figure out who you were." A slight grin from her. "I stopped in the alley to call. Didn't want you to see me do it for some reason."

"Sounds about right," she agreed. "You're a little on the paranoid side."

That earned her a scowl, but he said nothing about her remarks.

"Cain must have been watching. I turned around and he was there." She could almost feel his mind reaching. "He had something in his hand. I think." He frowned and looked up at her.

"He was holding something," Raine affirmed, "Something smallish. Rectangle I think, but that's really all I saw too. Know what it does, which is enough. Don't need to know what it looked like." Reaching across the table, she touched his hand. "I know it's disconcerting to not be able to remember something like this, but don't try too hard ok? It can actually redo some of the damage. I promise you that you will remember most of it with time. You did take a whack to the head, so chances are you'll always be missing that moment and a few after."

A look down to her hand. His voice dropped, his mind still working on the events that had unfolded.

"I looked up from the ground. You were there."

"I was."

"Cain, he was trying to corner you. Intimidate you."

"And that surprises you?"

Cade snorted and shook his head, but kept his attention focused on her hand. She had beautiful hands. Long slender fingers, well-shaped nails. But they had obviously done work in their time. Maybe not digging ditches, but they had gotten dirty before.

"You exchanged words. I don't think I could really hear what they were. Then you laughed at him. That pissed him off."

Choosing to stay silent, Raine didn't move either. He seemed to be remembering without much force, more than she thought he would actually. Breaking his train of thought might ruin it for him.

"He started for you and you didn't move. I think that surprised him. He reached out for you, grabbed you by the neck. But he never got to hurt you. He screamed."

"Like a little girl."

Cade blinked slightly, then grinned.

She rested elbows on the table as she leaned forward and looked Cade in the eye. "He might have gotten a few good hits in on you, but let me tell you this: he's hurting a whole lot more today than you are."

"Have I said thank you yet?"

"You have," she told him as she leaned back, then started to rise. "Come on, Eddie's here. Wave him into the next spot and I'll be there in a second."

***

The door jerked open without so much as a knock to warn them. Both jumped, Cade already reaching for the gun tucked into the back of his jeans. When Raine stepped in, Cade sighed and shook his head. Talk about needing to learn to knock. That kind of move could get a person killed.

Eddie sat in front of a computer screen, his arms crossed over his chest. He said nothing as the girl closed the door behind her. Finally she looked at them. Glancing first at Cade, then at Eddie, she nodded slightly.

"Nice shirt," she told Eddie as she admired the loud print shirt.

"Thanks," the hacker replied. "Cade thinks it's obnoxious."

"That's because he shops at the same place Angel does."

"Angel?" Cade blinked.

Turning to look at him, Raine nodded. "Angel. You know, the vampire?"

"Uh, can't say I've ever heard of him." Looking at Eddie, Foster frowned. "Eddie, want to fill me in here?"

Eddie looked at his friend's all black ensemble a second, then looked back at Raine. "I think you're right. He could use some color."

"Excuse me!" Cade's voice rose, echoing slightly in the confines of the small trailer. "What are you two talking about?"

"Geezz," Raine rolled her eyes at him. "Angel, the vampire with a soul. Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They guy who dresses all in black." At Cade's look of confusion, she shook her head. "Man, where have you been?"

"Obviously not the same place you've been," he retorted.

"He leads a sheltered life," Eddie offered with a grin.

"Guess so," Raine smiled. "You should probably encourage him to get out more."

"Well, you know, I try but he's busy. Off saving the world from aliens. Like that's any excuse to miss the best two hours of television ever made."

Smile turned to full out grin as she tried to suppress laughter.

Looking at his friend, Eddie shook his head, "You know, maybe if you took a break from saving the world once in a while, you could stop to watch it. I do have all the episodes on tape. You could take a vacation, veg in front of the TV for a few days. Take in the slayer goodness that is Buffy."

Looking at the both of them as if they had gone insane, Cade nodded his head slowly. "Uh yeah. I'll get right on that." Laughter erupted between Raine and Eddie, forcing Cade's mood to head downhill. "I guess eventually I'll figure out what's so damn funny, but until then, could we please concentrate?"

With a smirk, Raine shrugged. "The Twice Blessed man has spoken."

***

Sitting this closely together, Raine swallowed the nervousness that was sitting in her stomach. She wasn't quite ready to reveal everything she knew, but it was time to tell them most of it. The question was, would it be enough? She had to hope so. There wasn't really anything else she had to offer.

"Where do you want me to start?" she asked softly. "I know you'll want to check details"

"What's important?" Eddie finally asked, ignoring a look from Cade.

Raine smiled slightly at him. She liked Eddie.

"Details ok, I guess it's not exactly the beginning, but it's close enough." Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and plunged forward.

"Like I told Cade before, I've always been able to do stuff. Simple little tricks for the most part." Both of them stayed silent as she recounted the things she had told Foster earlier in the day. "When I was sixteen, I was getting ready for school. My parents told me good bye and left the house. As they were pulling out of the driveway, backing out to be exact, our neighbor was coming home.

"He drove a rig. Red. I used to like to go over when I was little and sit in it because it was so big." A faint smile. "Anyway, John, John Golden was his name. He apparently was having problems. Probably in the middle of the heart attack stroke combination that killed him. His came flying down our street. Cops thought he was running at least fifty when he plowed my parents as they came out of the driveway. My dad died instantly. They said the rig pushed the driver's side door to the center console." Her voice had gone monotone, void of emotion. "My mom was slammed against the door. The days before seat belts" A shuddering breath. "Her head went through the glass, probably bounced off a few things inside the car as well. She was pronounced dead a few hours later. She died in the emergency room."

"And it was just an accident?" Cade couldn't help the skepticism in his voice. No matter how much his heart ached for the 16-year-old girl who had lost her world.

Violet eyes opened and she looked at him. "Not everything is the result of aliens Foster. Shit happens." 

He started to respond, only to be cut off by an elbow in his ribs. Casting a glance at Eddie, the look on his friend's face told him he'd said enough.

"My dad was an insurance salesman. He had a nice policy. It made it so that I was able to live on my own. No foster care, just a few visits from social services occasionally. Enough to make sure I was still in school and doing ok."

"You still have money from the policy?"

Raine snorted at Cade and shook her head. "No. It lasted several years, but when I started using my gift it ran out kinda fast."

"What's your gift?" Eddie asked, slightly confused. It seemed this girl had more talents than one person should have.

Dropping her voice to a dramatic whisper, Raine looked at him and said, "I see dead people."

Blinking, Eddie looked at Cade. Shrugging slightly, Cade looked away from his friend.

"Actually," She finally continued, "I mostly sense their energy. Sometimes I can see it. Sometimes I get a feel for how they might have looked in life."

A faint light of hope started someone in the confines of Cade's heart. "You mean you can actually hear the dead?"

"Yeah, mostly."

"Can you communicate with them?"

"Sometimes."

"You mean like that John Edward guy?" Eddie interrupted, seemingly unaware of the sudden tension.

"Yeah, like that I guess. Though I've never spoken to him to ask exactly what he sees."

Leaning forward, Cade looked at her intently. "Can you speak to a specific person? Call them up?"

Smiling sadly at him, she shook her head. "No," she replied softly. "They just come to me. I don't have much control over who I hear"

"Oh." It came out almost as an expulsion of air.

"Cade" Eddie's voice was almost pained. He knew what his friend had hoped.

"It's ok Eddie." Foster offered him a shaky smile. "Too much to hope for I guess."

Raine watched the exchange, then continued when it stopped.

"Most of the time, the energies I sense, they want me to do something. Maybe just give their loved ones some kind of closure. Sometimes they actually want me to do something. Uncover hidden treasures no one knew about. Offer evidence of a crime that kind of thing."

Suddenly something clicked in Eddie's mind and he nearly jumped out of his chair, snapping his fingers.

"I knew you looked familiar," he exclaimed. "You helped the Washington cops solve the serial case. The guy who kept killing kids."

A flash of pain moved across her face as she nodded. "They called me in, hoping I might be able to tell them something." A shiver ran through her body. "The kids told me. They helped catch him. They did catch him. Told me everything so that the cops could find him."

"I can't imagine" trailing off, Cade watched the girl as she slowly pulled an invisible shield around herself.

"It's what I do," she finally managed with a shrug. A deep breath. "Not everything is so gruesome I guess."

"How so?" Eddie was fascinated.

"It's what has financed me." Raine shifted in her seat slightly. "The fund that had been set up with the insurance money was almost gone. This was right after the Washington case. I really just wanted to go away for a while. You know, try to get everything I'd seen out of my head. I kept hearing this whispering. Tried to shut it out. After a few days of the incessant noise, I finally gave.

"Her name was Nadine Evans. She was a very, very rich woman. While alive, she had searched years for a long lost granddaughter. Her son had admitted to having an illegitimate child while in college and she took up the search then. When she passed, she found that her granddaughter had passed as well.

"She said she had been watching me. Watched what I was doing. She decided that since her granddaughter couldn't have the estate, she wanted it to go to someone who might do something with it. She told me that she'd help me pose as her granddaughter so that it would be turned over to me. That way I could continue and never have to worry about not being able to do so because of money.

"So, with her help, I became Ashley Isabel Evans. The estate was handed over to me four years ago."

"How much?" Eddie asked quietly.

"A few hundred million."

A low whistle from both men.

"I split it up. Put aside what I'd need. Put a bunch into stocks and such, donated to a few charities. Played up the roll a little." She looked between the two of them. "I also took some precautions. Put most of it away. Wasn't sure when I might need it."

"Wise," the hacker muttered, "Just don't invest in Microsoft, that stuff is plummeting fast."

Raine smiled faintly before continuing again.

"A few months ago, the Chicago police called. Wanted to know if I'd be interested in catching a real bad guy. Someone who had left a string of bodies all across the country." Violet eyes locked onto Cade. "That's when they told me to find you. To help."

"Who?" His voice was hoarse.

"Victims," she replied after a slight hesitation. "They told me it wasn't true. That the police were after the wrong guy. So I started looking up your files. Finding out what had happened." A harsh laugh. "The first time I saw your picture I knew the cops were full of it. The problem was that the cops I talked to were all human. And they really believed.

"So I waited, gave them some false leads. I couldn't seem to get a lock on you. Figure out where you were going to be long enough for me to catch up with you. I tuned in to the talk show, hoping to get some kind of idea where you'd go after. And then I saw you killed.

"Except I knew it wasn't you. Because the thing that died didn't glow. Didn't have your aura. I thought maybe things were getting desperate. Desperate measures for desperate times and all that. After that happened, they knew where you'd be. So they told me. Led me to you.

"When I caught up with you, I wasn't really sure what to tell you." A shrug. "Just because you believe in aliens, doesn't mean you believe in people who hear ghosts. I waited, tried to decide what to say. And then Cain jumped you. I didn't really have a choice then."

She rose and began to pace.

"You've remembered a lot. More than I figured you would. At least this quickly. But there's more." Slowly she stopped, turning to look at the men. "They're trying to engineer a new husk for Mabus. Regular husks aren't working. His essence is too strong. He destroys them. Kinda melts them. It's rather disgusting." Shaking the image from her head, she looked at them again. "Cain wanted to steal your body. Wanted to pull out what makes you Cade Foster and let Mabus have it. You stole their husk. And now they think that maybe it wouldn't have held him anyway. But you're special. The Twice Blessed Man would be able to hold Mabus."

"They wanted me?" Somehow Cade couldn't wrap his mind around that. Not around what she was saying.

"It's possible that your DNA is different. Just slightly. Something that makes you incredibly special. At least that's their theory. So they're running with it. In the meantime, they're trying to grow something for Mabus as well. But nothing seems to be working so far."

"Ok, yeah, that's big," Eddie managed, processing the information. He looked up at Raine. "Could they do that? I mean could they pull out his essence?"

A shrug. "Dunno. They don't really know either. But they can do it for their own kind, so why not humans? They're willing to risk it. Besides, at best they have a new body. At worst, the body won't work but Cade still dies. Kind of a win-win situation." She looked back at Foster. "Cain was carrying a stun gun. He wanted to knock you out with a few thousand volts. Not really a new weapon per say, but something different. New for him to carry."

"Uh, thinking I don't like new," Eddie offered with a frown.

"Yeah, you and me both," Cade replied.

***

"Can you show Eddie the same thing you showed me earlier?" Cade's voice was cautious. He was acutely aware of how tired she seemed. How talking appeared to drain her. Then again they'd been talking for nearly three hours.

"The blood?" Raine's voice wavered slightly.

"Yeah" He let it trail off, leaving her a way out if she wanted.

Instead she nodded slightly and held out her arm, palm up. As before, she slid a finger across the tender flesh on the underside of her arm. Exactly as before, the skin seemed to split as if cut by the sharpest of scalpels. Blood welled, then slid down her arm, dripping to the floor. Eddie's mouth dropped open. Closing her eyes tightly, Raine took a deep breath. As before the wound closed, only this time Cade was able to see it. Flesh slowly came together, seeming to melt as the edges met. Within only a few seconds, her skin was whole again, leaving behind only a trail of blood to prove there was ever any damage.

Raine wavered on her feet, swaying slightly as she opened her eyes.

"You ok?" Both men questioned.

"Yeah" she responded softly, "Can I have something to wipe this up with?"

"I'll get it." Eddie started forward as he spoke, moving past them in the close confines of the trailer.

"You ok?" Cade asked again, taking her arm and guiding her to a chair.

"Tired. I'll be fine." She managed a weak smile as Eddie returned with a warm, damp washcloth.

"Up for a little more?" Eddie asked hesitantly. He knew she was tired, but he was dying to see what she could do.

Cade started to protest, but Raine nodded slightly.

"A little. If it will help ease your mind. Not sure how effective it will be."

"Is there anything else you can do?"

The slight grin on Raine's face seemed to say, "You mean that's not enough?", but she played along anyway.

"I get thoughts sometimes. I can hold an illusion for a short time. Depending on the number of people. Sometimes I get flashes from things I touch."

"Oh this is too cool," Eddie enthused.

Closing her eyes, Cade felt the stillness that came over her. Before he could say anything, the trailer door opened. He watched his friend's mouth drop as Marianne, Eddie's high school crush, came marching through the door. Dressed only in lace and pearls.

"Uh" was all Eddie could manage.

Marianne smiled once at the hacker, then began to shimmer. In only a few heartbeats, she faded away.

"If I wasn't so tired I might be able to hold it longer," Raine said softly as she opened her eyes. "Maybe next time Eddie."

Eddie still stood staring at the door. "Uh, yeah," he managed finally. "Whatever you say."

Cade couldn't stop the slight grin. At least not until he saw the blood.

Red trickled from her nose and she reached up to wipe it away. "Happens sometimes," was all she offered. Frowning, Cade handed her the washcloth from earlier.

Finally Eddie turned to face them.

"That was was so real"

"Kinda the point," Raine muttered, still wiping blood from her nose.

"When you get flashes from things can you control what you see?" Cade wasn't sure if he had spoken out loud. Nor was he sure where the question had come from.

"Sometimes. If you know you want to find out something, you can sort of control where it goes. But if you're not searching for something specific, then no."

"What do you mean?" Eddie had taken the still damp washcloth from her and was absently playing with it. Blood smearing across his fingers.

"Stop that and I'll show you."

Blushing slightly, Eddie put the cloth aside.

Slowly she stood, standing face to face with Cade.

"Eddie, do you know how Cade got this scar?"

"The one on his chin?"

"That would be the one."

"Well," Eddie said, "He says he got it in a fight."

Raine looked at Eddie, a slight gleam in her eye.

"Let's find out shall we?"

Before Cade had a chance to protest, her hand was against his face. Warmth spread across his face and a small jolt of electricity shot through him. Suddenly he felt as if he wasn't alone in his own skin. He could feel her against him. Feel her energy wrapping around him. Her finger slid down his cheek, grazing the scar that had been on his chin for ages.

With a feather soft touch, she stroked the scar. Her fingers played over his skin, and he could almost see faint sparks from the touch, bursting out into the air between them. He opened his mouth to speak, only to find he couldn't. A slight shiver ran through him, force him a half step closer to her. Their bodies were nearly pressed together when she moaned. Images suddenly began flipping through his mind.

Her voice was very low as she spoke, escaping her at nearly a whisper. The words flowed and she seemed to have no control over them.

"Sixteen. The first thing you tried to blow with explosives. A safe." She frowned slightly, looking up into has face. But she didn't seem to be looking at him. She appeared to be looking through him.

"You weren't sure if you had put it together right, but you didn't want to check it again. Worried you'd screw it up. So you blew it. Only you had used too much. Debris flew across the room." She tilted her head and Cade felt her look into his soul. "There were two big pieces. They were large enough that one broke something in the room. Something glass. You didn't stick around to see what. You took off. When you got home you realized the second piece must have hit you. There was blood. Running down your chin. You cleaned it up. The next morning your step dad saw the mess in the sink. Demanded to know what you'd done. You wouldn't tell him, so he hit you. Split it open again."

A whimper escaped her and Cade could feel his emotions pouring into her somehow. Could feel the thoughts and memories being dumped into her. Something told him to break the connection she had with him, but he couldn't move. Finally, sucking in a huge breath of air, she blinked and backed away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered hoarsely. "I didn't know"

Cade reached for her as she wobbled, taking her arm carefully. "It's ok." A glance at Eddie. "I don't hide things from Eddie."

"No, but I had no right it was personal."

"It's ok," he assured her. "Eddie knows all about personal."

"Hey," Eddie chimed in finally, "I've seen him drunk. You wanna talk personal? Try cleaning up puke. Now that's personal."

Raine managed a faint smile as she tried to steady herself.

"I think I should sleep now. I won't be able to help if I don't."

Both men nodded.

"You want help back?" Cade asked, worry coloring his words. He hadn't known her long, but he felt a connection to her. Something that ran deeper than he could have imagined would happen with a stranger.

"I'll be fine. Just need to sleep."

With that she pulled away and teetered to the door. With trembling hands, she pulled it open and stepped out, closing it softly behind her. Both men watched in silence as she crossed the short span between the camping spots.

"Do you believe her?" Cade asked as he turned to look at Eddie.

"More than I believed you the first time I saw you," Eddie replied. "Let's check out her story."

*******

Noise filtered into the depths of her mind from somewhere outside. Something told her she should be worried, concerned, but she couldn't quite work up that feeling.

Then it touched her.

A scream caught in her throat as she bolted upright, almost knocking foreheads with Cade.

With an effort to control her ragged breathing, she swallowed hard.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, still breathless.

"Eddie was worried about you. Couldn't explain it, just said he wanted me to check on you." Raine frowned slightly as Cade held up a can of soda. "And he wanted to know if you had any caffeine. I think he's actually out."

The smile wasn't formed past the still uneven breathing and she offered a slight nod. "More under the sink I think," she offered, her eyes locking onto Cade's.

The air changed then, shifting ever so slightly. The spark both had felt previously suddenly exploded. With a dull thump, the can Cade held in his hand hit the floor. Sliding his hands into her hair, he pulled her close, lips meeting as their bodies pressed together.

A small whimper escaped her throat as he climbed onto the make-shift bed and gently forced her back into the pillows. His name was on her lips as he pulled away, tugging at the ever present leather jacket. Pausing, he held a finger to her lips and shook his head. As the jacket fell to the floor, his mouth fused with hers once more.

Hands searched his back, nails scratching through the t-shirt as they searched for the hem. His hands were in her hair again, winding a strand around his wrist. It felt like silk against his skin. The black knit was pulled away from his skin as her hands jerked the shirt away from the waistband of his jeans. Parting only long enough to get rid of the shirt, they were once again fused. This time her hands roamed over his naked skin, leaving trails of electricity.

His mouth left hers, finding a path to her neck, then her ear. His hands slid under the tank top she wore, fingertips nearly singed by the heat from her skin. A moan fell from her lips and he pulled back, smiling down at her.

A full smile from her matched his as she rose up, allowing him to remove the tank top and drop it to the floor where the pile of clothes was growing. Hands wound around his neck, pulling him down on top of her. Skin slid against skin as he moaned her name.

"I don't think I ever felt like this before," she whispered against his shoulder.

"This is only the beginning," he answered, his mouth once again on hers.

Working to push away the blankets that separated them, Cade searched her collarbone with his lips. Her skin was satin against him. Hands ached to touch all of it. Every last inch. Her hands roamed his back and chest freely, tracing lines and swirls against his flesh. Each touch made the spark grow brighter until it was a raging fire. One that needed to be put out.

Sitting up long enough to get rid of the boots he wore, he tossed the blankets to the floor with the clothes, then knelt near her knees. Sliding hands across her knees, then up her thighs, he didn't stop until he came to the edge of the boxers she wore. Slowly he pulled them down. Starting with her belly button, he kissed it as it was revealed, then every precious inch lower as cotton revealed even more skin.

Another whimper as he changed course and continued his exploration of her skin where leg met hip. Cade made his way down, kissing each leg as it was freed of the hindrance of clothing. A kiss to each arch of her feet and she was naked before him.

Scars, none physical, seemed so clear to him in the dim light of the trailer. Things she had seen that had been forever imprinted on her glowed in the near darkness. Gently he touched each spot he saw. With a kiss to a finger before pressing it against her skin, he attempted to take some of it from her.

"What do you see?" she asked in a hushed whisper.

"Things that made you," he replied, "The things that made you who you are. That made you beautiful."

Her mouth never quite closed with what reply had been taken from her as his hand grazed her nipples. Smiling, he bent down to take them into his mouth, tongue swirling around the peaks. Hands gripped his hair, pulling him closer.

Jeans rubbed against skin and she groaned, pushing at his shoulders.

"Jeans," she managed just before his mouth swooped down to hers again.

Working hands down his chest to the edge of his jeans, she tugged at the buttons. As each gave, her hand slid lower against his belly. Just before it reached the edge of his boxers, he grabbed it, pulling upward. Placing a kiss on the palm of her hand, he shook his head.

"Not quite yet," he told her.

Rising, he shed his jeans. Cold air surrounded skin as the heat from his body was taken from her. A shiver ran down her body, causing him to smile slightly. With jeans on the floor, he joined her back on the bed. Pulling her close, he gathered her up in his arms against his chest. Capturing both her hands in one of his, he let his other roam.

Fingers trailed gently down her side, causing her to squirm against him. Evidence that he wasn't immune to her movements pressed hard against her and she wiggled again.

"Stop that," he whispered in her ear. "I don't want to rush this."

"You're killing me," she whispered back.

"You'll die happy," he promised as a finger trailed along the inside of her thigh.

Unable to respond as the back of his hand brushed against her ever so lightly, she moaned instead. His hands worked her into a frenzy, never quite reaching where she wanted them to go. When she could take no more, she pulled away and rolled over to face him.

Saying nothing, she kissed him hard, then began to follow his previous pattern, worked her way down with a trail of kisses. Hands clutched at the sheets as her tongue swirled around his navel. With agonizing slowness, she pulled his boxers away. Taking longer than needed to find his feet, she smiled wickedly at him as she finally dropped them to the floor.

Crouching down, she began her journey back up, sliding skin against skin as she went. Without pausing, she trailed her tongue along his length when she met it, then continued up.

The moan that started about the time she met his hips didn't stop until her mouth was on his. They teetered on the edge of the bed as he rolled them both over. Her legs wound themselves around his hips and he could suddenly feel the heat coming from her. Pressing forward, he didn't stop, even when he met resistance. Her cry of pain caused him to pull her closer to him.

"I'm sorry," he told her as he rained kisses against her face. "I didn't know."

"I didn't tell you," she replied simply.

He let her become accustomed to the feel of their bodies together, as one of his hands roamed between them. It only took a few minutes before she was urging him forward. They moved together, the rhythm slow at first, then gaining speed as they continued.

His name came out a whimper as the first of the shudders overtook her. The tremors of her muscles sent him over the edge and he buried his face in her neck, whispering her name over and over.

When it was over, he collapsed on top of her. Wrapping her arms around him tightly, she closed her eyes.

The strange touch on her shoulder sent her upright in bed. Somehow she managed to stop a split second before crashing into Cade. The dream dissipated slowly, even though she could still feel the tremors in her lower belly.

"Oh god," she breathed, closing her eyes.

"Raine?" His hand hadn't left her shoulder. "You ok?"

A strangled sound in the back of her throat. "Maybe." A pause. "I think so." A hard swallow. "What are you doing here?"

Cade didn't move as he watched her. She was covered in sweat and trembling. "Eddie was worried about you. Said he had a feeling about something. He wasn't sure what."

"Oh," she managed as her breathing slowed slightly.

"You sure you're ok?"

"Yeah," she swallowed. "Just a dream." Opening her eyes, she glared at the air over his shoulder. "One that did not amuse me I might add."

"Huh?"

"Nothing." Slowly she sank back to the bed. Brushing damp strands of hair from her face, she concentrated on slowing the thundering heartbeat inside her chest. "Just a dream."

"That bad?" he asked as he eased down onto the bed. Tremors still shot through her body, occasionally strong enough to shake the entire bed.

"Good and bad I guess. Depends on how you look at it."

"Want to share?"

Eyes snapped to his and he felt something change. With much consideration, she shook her head.

"Probably not best."

"I see."

But he didn't. Not really. How could a dream be both good and bad? Wait, he knew the answer to that. It was like dreams of Hannah. They nearly killed him when he had them, but each one was so sweet, so full of everything they shared Suddenly he wondered if she had lost someone close to her as well.

Without another word, he stretched out beside her and pulled her close. She lay tensely against him as he began to stroke her hair.

"It's ok. Just sleep."

Slowly she relaxed against him until the land of dreams wrapped it's arms around her once again.

*******

They had agreed to meet in her trailer. One because it was bigger, and two because she had actual food.

The pasta had just gone into the huge aluminum pot and the smell of tomatos and spices hung in the air. Cade felt his stomach growl and shook his head slightly. Sometimes he forgot what it was like to sit down and eat a real meal. Hell, sometimes he forgot to eat. It could be hard to do when you were running for your life.

"Stop right there," Raine ordered, holding a wooden spoon out in front of her.

Another wooden spoon was already half way to his mouth, but Eddie froze. Apparently she took her pasta seriously.

"The sauce is not touched until it's time to eat Mr. Nambulous. Got that?"

Slowly, with great care, he lowered the spoon back to the saucepan and backed away.

"Yeah, got it." With a glance over his shoulder to Cade, Eddie took a few more steps back.

"You have to forgive Eddie," Cade told her, "I don't think he's eaten real food in a long time. He survives on things that just should never be eaten together."

"Hey!" Eddie protested as he eased himself behind the table in the trailer. "My Specials are just fine."

Cade snorted. "Like I said some things just should never be eaten together, yet Eddie does it."

Raine shook her head slightly, but a faint smile touched her mouth. "Well, this is something that definitely goes together then. "Glancing over her shoulder, she looked at the men. "Someone get drinks please. Whatever you want there's stuff in the refrigerator. Probably beer, soda, wine" she didn't bother naming everything, "Milk for me please."

"Milk?" Eddie wrinkled his nose, "Man that's just sick."

"Anymore out of you and you can starve," Raine warned. "Besides, it's good for you Mr. 'I'm a caffeine junkie'. That stuff will kill you."

"If the Gua don't do it first," Cade muttered as he opened the refrigerator door.

"Pft," Eddie said, "They can't kill someone who has as many preservatives in them as I do."

"Yeah, they'll just seal you in a jar and put you on a shelf," Cade answered.

Raine grinned, listening to the banter. Both of them seemed more relaxed than before. She wasn't sure what had happened, but it was all good she supposed. It would make later on easier for them all.

"Ok guys," she told them as she pulled steaming bread out of the oven. "Dinner is served. Buffet style."

Dumping the pasta into a colander in the sink as Cade took plates from the cabinet, Raine wondered briefly how long he had stayed with her earlier. When she woke up, he had been gone, but there had been residual aura left behind.

"Wow," Cade managed after taking a long smell, "I haven't smelled anything this good in a long time."

"I offered you part of my sandwich earlier," Eddie told him.

"Oh yeah, like that's edible."

"I manage."

"Well," Raine cut in as she dropped forks to the table, "my mom had certain recipes that were passed down for generations. This happens to be one of them. She liked to cook." Raine shrugged slightly. "I don't mind cooking, I just never have the time."

"Oh yeah," Eddie managed around a mouthful of pasta, "This is cooking."

"Marry me?" Cade groaned as he swallowed a bite. "Please?"

Raine grinned as she looked at him. "You wish."

*******

"We need to figure out exactly where they're at. Where they have Mabus."

"Can we destroy him?" Cade's question was ambitious at the very least.

"I don't know," Raine shrugged, "Maybe it's not time for that."

"What do you mean?" Eddie leaned forward in his seat, resting elbows on the table that had finally been cleared of dishes. "We need to destroy this guy." The word stumbled out of his mouth as if Eddie wasn't exactly sure what to call this new enemy.

Opening her mouth to speak, Raine managed a small, strangled sound. Her mouth moved, but nothing more came out. Cade felt the hair on the back of his neck rise as he cast a glance to Eddie.

The hacker sat, frozen, unsure of what to do.

"Do you feel that?" he whispered to Cade, never taking his eyes off the girl as her mouth tried to work.

No sooner had Eddie asked, than Cade could feel it. A change in the air, a sudden shift of energy.

"I feel it," he confirmed. "What is it?"

"Dunno Man, but I think we're about to find out."

"Cade." The voice came from Raine's mouth, but it wasn't her own. Wasn't even close. But Cade knew exactly who it was.

"Joshua?" He was unable to keep the stunned realization out of his voice as he said the name.

Violet eyes were suddenly a deep, chocolatey brown. 

"You cannot destroy the entity if it does not have a body. At least not in the way you think" Joshua's voice faded, Raine's mixing with it for the last few words. Cade could sense that she was trying to regain control of the situation. Before the girl could make her way up from whatever room Joshua had shoved her into as he used her body to speak from, the Gua ally spoke again.

"Mabus is a strong entity. So strong that the sphere that holds it can destroy a human." Brown eyes closed and she swayed. "But the sphere is also not an acceptable vessel for Mabus. The entity will destroy the sphere if not put into a body."

"What happens if the sphere is destroyed?" Eddie asked, beating Cade to the question.

"The entity dies."

"So, if we can force them to keep Mabus in the sphere, he might self-destruct?"

"Something like that," Joshua's voice replied. 

"How do we do that?"

"They are growing bodies. Trying to find a suitable husk to host your Anti-Christ. So far their efforts have been in vain and Mabus cannot stay in any of them for a prolonged period of time. Each time he must be returned to the sphere." Raine's body shuddered. "You must destroy the lab. Take out the place they are growing husks for him."

"Why can't we just wait for him to get a body and kill him that way?" Cade had a feeling he wasn't going to like the answer to his question.

"Because you aren't strong enough. You will die."

Both of the men bristled at that, but said nothing. They had no illusions that the destruction of the Gua could be done easily. They'd been trying for a long time.

Then, in a voice that wasn't exactly the Gua ally, and not exactly her own, Raine began to speak. Numbers. Letters. 

Cade frowned, "What is she saying?"

Eddie opened his mouth to answer, then paused, his mind racing to put everything together.

"Paper, quick," he said, he eyes never leaving Raine's face.

Scrambling, Cade worked his way from behind the table and moved to the end of the kitchen counter where he had seen a phone. And next to it a pad of paper and a pen. Snatching both up, he took the half dozen steps it took to get back to the table and shoved the items at Eddie.

"I think they're coordinates," Eddie said with excitement as he began writing the numbers down.

After a few more repetitions of the numbers and letters, Raine's body shuddered again. Once more her voice changed, this time to something neither Cade nor Eddie recognized. Blindly she groped the air, searching for something. Hands slamming down to the table, her fingers brushed the pad of paper and grabbed a hold.

Quickly, in order to save the information they had, Eddie ripped the top sheet from the pad as it slid across the table. He watched in silence as Raine's hand seemed to be holding something, trying to write something down. Gingerly, he slid the pen into her hand and sat back.

What first appeared to be scribbles slowly began to take form. As the lines became clearer, whispered words fell from Raine's mouth. Both Eddie and Cade strained to hear, trying to make sense of the words that didn't seem to be familiar.

"There was a time, looking through myself, wanting to pretend," her voice was low, still hushed. The words only breathed instead of spoken. "If I escaped, I could fill myself. I don't think you can. Been far and wide, but that hole inside, never really leaves." Premonition struck Cade and he pulled his eyes away from the girl long enough to look at Eddie. "When I went away, what I really left, left behind was me."

"Wait," Eddie blinked. "I think I know this one."

"Huh"

"Shh," Eddie hissed, leaning closer in order to catch the less than whispered words.

"It's telling me to be on my way home." Her voice faded and Eddie cursed. Then it was back, "Each passing day, every passing face, seems like such a blur." Sudden violent shudders racked her voice, causing her voice to quiver, but her hands remained steady. "I long to be home silently, lying next to her. Just to get back, by her side, is all, all I need to be." A slow smile spread across Eddie's face. "Cause I went away, but what I really left, left behind was me."

Leaning back, smile still in place, Eddie finished the words with her.

"I need to be, getting on my way home. Million miles away. I can't stay."

Cade frowned. "You care to explain?" he asked, his eyes never leaving Raine's shuddering form.

"It's a song Foster," Eddie answered. "By The Offspring to be exact. Newest CD." A shrug. "Not sure why she's saying them or why someone is saying them, but that's what they are."

"The Offspring?"

"Yeah man, Punk is alive and well."

"Ok, I'll pretend to understand that later."

"You do that Foster." Eddie looked to Raine again, a look of worry replacing the smile. "Is she ok?"

Shaking his head slowly, Cade shrugged. "I don't know. Whatever is happening seems to have a reason. It's not random scribbles. But I don't know what it is." A deep frown. "But it almost looks as if it's ripping her apart."

The shudders were now even more violent. While her hands remained steady, she seemed to be having problems drawing a breath. Very softly, Cade said her name. Her hands jerked, a formerly perfect straight line now skewed slightly. But the shudders slowed. The last few lines were drawn and Raine sank back into her seat, her eyes still closed.

Rising, Cade went to her side, kneeling next to her. Taking her hand in his, he nearly pulled away once the freezing temperature of her skin in his. Picking her up, he moved towards the back of the trailer, stopping at the make shift bed. Laying her gingerly in it, he pulled the covers around her tightly. 

Glancing over his shoulder once as he worked, he asked his friend, "What is it?"

Eddie studied the paper for a few more seconds, the offered an answer.

"Holy shit man," he said with surprise. "I think it's a map. A very detailed layout of the installation where they're keeping Mabus."

*******

Occasionally through the night, the Raine murmured the words to the song she had managed earlier. Cade was no closer to figuring out what it meant, but every time he heard it, something akin to premonition swept over him. There was a meaning he was missing. He was sure of it.

Eddie came back once to tell him they'd have to leave at first light. He'd been running the coordinates through the computer and he knew where they were going now. Georgia. Cade hated Georgia. A lot. Almost being crucified there kind of had that effect on you.

But he agreed. If that's where they needed to go, then that's where they'd go. He figured if it came down to it, they could either leave Raine's trailer here, or he could drive it. He still had a few hours to decide.

"Cade?" The voice was oh so familiar, but not the voice that should be coming from this girl.

He sat up in the chair he had pulled close to the bed. She still seemed to be sleeping, but once more, in less than 12 hours, Cade felt the hair rise on the back of his neck.

A faint gurgle came from the back of her throat and a sudden panicked look flashed across her face. Her eyes snapped open and she searched the room frantically. He somehow got the feeling that she wasn't really seeing the room itself.

"Get me out."

The voice had changed once more. Not Raine. Not Joshua. Someone else. Someone he already knew he didn't like.

"Get me out of this body." The voice was deep and grating. It gave Cade a sensation similar to sliding a cheese grater down his back. "NOW!"

He sat, frozen, in his seat. Afraid to touch her, but afraid she would be lost to whatever chaos had enslaved her mind.

"This is unacceptable. 117 is coming."

Uh, wait a minute. One. One. Seven. Very few people actually called him that. Ok, only one race called him that. And then he knew.

"Mabus," he whispered. The name nearly seared his lips as it escaped.

Eyes locked onto his face and a cold smile slid across her mouth. Cade fought the urge to sink back into his chair and try to remain unnoticed.

"How is this?" The voice actually managed to become even more grating than it had been just seconds before. "I see him, sitting here. In front of me. Except 117 is not here." There was curiosity in the creature's voice, but no fear. 

Cade thought he could hear some kind of answer, like someone speaking from another room. No words could be made out, and as he leaned forward to hear them, Raine's body tensed. Spasms hit her, tightening her body so much he thought she would break.

A whimper. Her own voice. She was coming back to him. More spasms, these just as awful as the first. Cade eased to the bed next to her and pulled her close. It killed him to see her like this. To know it had to be painful. He spoke to her, voice low and soft. Things that often made no sense. Secrets he had only told Hannah. He'd tell her his soul if it meant she would look up at him with violet eyes and ask him what the hell he was doing in her bed.

Eventually the spasms passed. Her voice was thick with confusion when she spoke.

"Cade?"

"I'm here."

"Am I alive?"

"Feels that way."

"Right." A deep sigh and Cade could feel the fingers of sleep reaching for her. "It wouldn't hurt this bad if I were dead."

Bending slightly, he kissed her forehead gently. "It's ok. Just sleep. We know where we're going now. Just rest."

"Million miles away," she muttered.

"What's that mean?" His voice was startled.

"Both of us. Million miles away."

"Raine?"

But she was asleep. With a sigh, Cade shook his head and closed his eyes. Eddie would be here in a few hours. He figured he might as well sleep while he could. Besides, Raine's head weighed a good ton when she was asleep, and that head was firmly planted in his shoulder.

*******

"Where are we?" She rubbed her eyes as she made her way to the front of the trailer. A bump in the road made her wobble, so she plopped down into the passenger's side seat.

"On the road. Heading for Georgia." Cade glanced at her as he answered. She looked like hell.

Brushing dark hair from her face, she scowled at the road then nodded. "The nature preserve."

"Huh?"

"That's where we're supposed to be going."

"Oh yeah."

Eddie had put it together right before they left. The coordinates had been Georgia, but they hadn't been sure exactly where. Somewhere around Atlanta, but not Atlanta itself. With a little more searching they found the land itself was government owned. It was a part of the Chatahoochie Nature Preserve. The park spanned several hundreds of thousands of square miles when it came down to it. Lots of room to hide. A little more digging told them that the area they were supposed to be going to had been closed off almost a year previously. At first no excuse had been given to bikers and hikers, but finally word came down that the official reason for closing that section of the preserve was due to a rare species of insect that had been found. Scientists were trying to study it, and didn't think it would benefit them to have people traipsing through the area.

Of course not. Running Gua experiments did require some secrecy.

"How long have we been on the road?"

"About six hours," Foster informed her, once more taking his eyes from the road to cast a glance in her direction.

"How much further?"

"Another six or so. Maybe seven."

"Oh." A beat. "I feel like shit."

"You don't look much better."

"Gee thanks," she muttered, scowling slightly at him.

"We'll be stopping in a few hours. Eddie is trying to decide where he should set up."

"Coffee?"

"Sorry, I tossed it when we started out. Wasn't sure if you'd be awake today or not."

A wan smile showed itself. She took her eyes from the moving landscape and looked at him. "I should probably still be asleep," she admitted.

"It looked like it hurt," he told her, not able to look at her face.

"It did," she confessed. "Letting someone speak through you, use your body, is a huge drain."

"So why'd you do it?"

"Because you needed to hear it from him."

Cade mulled her words over, then asked, "Did he send you here?"

"He was one of them, yes." She closed her eyes and rested the side of her head against the cool glass. "He knew Mabus was coming. He was going to warn you, but he didn't have the chance before they put him on trial."

"Trial?" Cade jerked. "What trial."

"They tried him for treason."

"Treason?"

Raine shrugged, but only offered a few more words. "It's something he will have to tell you himself when it's time."

Nothing was said between them for a few miles. Cade turned her words over in his head, trying to make sense of it all.

"Is he ok?"

"He's alive if that's what you mean."

"Is he ok?"

Violet eyes opened and she looked at him. "I don't know. He's alive, healthy. But he's not really here. Not in this place."

"Not in this place?"

"Not on this Earth, this dimension. He's somewhere else."

"Do you know where?"

"No." She sighed. "If I knew I'd tell you. But I don't." Her voice was sad. "I don't think he even really knows where he is."

"Does he sound like the others?"

"You mean the spirits?"

"Yeah."

"No. He's more of a whisper. A distant voice." A faint smile as she rested her head against the glass again. "But he is a very strong energy."

"Can't argue with that."

"He worries about you. Worries that you will fail."

"I would have if he hadn't helped."

"I know." A beat. "He isn't always sure how to help. He has trouble understanding us sometimes."

"Us?"

"Humans."

"Oh."

"But he wants you to win."

"I guess that's a plus."

"Yeah." She didn't look at him when she said, "I don't think I hear all of him. Feel all of him."

"What do you mean?"

She frowned, trying to find the word to explain.

"It's like only part of him is able to reach out. Sort of like his subconscious. And if that part is his subconscience, then I can't feel his conscious. And I'm not sure why."

"Maybe because he isn't here?" Cade offered.

"Maybe. It's hard to tell. This isn't exactly a hard science."

"True."

More silence, this time lasting longer than the first.

"Why Offspring?"

Raine blinked at him. "Huh?"

"You sang it. Well, spoke it really, last night. I just wondered why."

An almost imperceptible shrug of her shoulders.

"I like them. They keep me grounded. Help me focus."

"And Million Miles Away?"

A look he couldn't name flashed across her face.

"Just a song."

"I see."

Rising, she held onto the back of the seat as she looked at him.

"I need to lay down. Wake me up when we stop."

Then she walked away.

*******

"She ok?" Eddie asked as he shoved open the door, shoving bags of food though before him.

"Alive if that's what you mean." Cade responded, running hands through his hair. He didn't need to tell Eddie how worried he was. His best friend knew.

"Coherent?"

"Tired." He jerked a finger towards the back. "Shower. Said she'd be out in a minute."

Eddie nodded as he set the bags of food down. "Learn anything else?"

"No, she mostly slept."

The hacker started to ask another question but stopped when he heard her coming.

"Hey guys," Raine said softly, drying her hair with a towel.

"How are you feeling?" Eddie managed to spit out before Cade could.

"Better. Still tired." A smile directed solely at him. "Thanks for asking."

Holding up one of the bags, Eddie smiled back, "Food."

"Food's a good thing."

Turning, she peered out a window a moment, then, "Rest area?"

"Yeah. We're close to the Georgia state line."

"Let's eat outside. I need some air."

*******

"She's going to be important."

It came from Raine's mouth, out of the blue, taking Cade by surprise. He glanced away from the road long enough to know she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead.

"Who?"

"Jordan. Raven Nation."

"Oh."

"They know about her."

"Who?"

"Gua."

"What do they know?"

"Nothing significant yet. But they know she's there. They fear her I think."

"Why?"

"Stories legends prophecies." A beat. "Like they fear you."

"I see."

"They aren't sure who she is yet." Cade nodded slightly but she still didn't look at him. "They will think it's me."

"Huh?"

Starting at the rapid intake of breath, Cade looked over at Raine. The wild expression of fear on her face, the six shades of color that were suddenly absent, and the way she clutched at the door handles made him ease the car over to the side of the road. Slamming it in park, he reached out a hand, grasping hers in his own.

"Raine?" His voice was soft but firm. He could feel her slipping away from him.

A whimper escaped before her next words.

"They'll kill me."

"I won't let them." Cade surprised himself with the fierceness of the words and the emotion he felt behind them.

"It's too late" he voice trailed. Then a whisper. "We're always going to be a million miles away from everyone else aren't we Cade?"

"What do you mean?" he asked as he reached up to turn her head so that she would look at him. Even though her eyes were pointing towards him, he knew she wasn't really seeing him.

"Million miles away. Different than everyone else. Always apart." A sigh of acceptance. "Always alone."

"Different maybe," he told her, one hand caressing her cheek lightly, "But not alone. You're never alone ok?"

"If you say so." She blinked rapidly several times and suddenly her vision shifted to him. A faint, sheepish smile. "It's ok. I'm back." Turning, she faced forward once again. "We can go now."

Cade watched her a moment, then slid the car into gear and eased back onto the road. He waited several miles before asking, "Do you know what the prophecies say?"

Raine shook her head. "They aren't sure. Some of them never knew some can't remember. Joshua is distant. Not here again. He might know. If he comes before we get there I'll try to ask."

Another handful of miles.

"You sure you're ok?"

"It's been a long week."

"Can't argue with that."

"Will Eddie be ok?"

"Sure. He picked a spot. Why?"

A shrug. Barely a lifting of her shoulders. "Dunno. Just tell him to be alert. Maybe he should be near people."

Frowning, Cade looked at her. "Can you explain it more?"

"I wish I could. Just a feeling"

"How often do you have these feelings?"

"Only when something bad is going to happen."

Without another word, Foster pulled out his cell phone and dialed.

*******

"Did you get him?" Her voice was low, her eyes looking straight down the hill they were perched on at the Gua installation below.

"No." A single word, but Raine didn't have to hear more to know how worried Cade was. Hell, how worried she was.

"He'll be fine," she tried.

"Hopefully," he replied, his gaze following hers. "There isn't anything we can do about it now unless we want to go back."

"That might draw attention to him," she answered the unspoken question. "I think I feel he's better off with us here."

Nodding, Cade looked at her. "Then I guess we'll have to go with that."

A slight smile. A nod. "Yeah. We'll check on him as soon as we get out." With surprising grace, she slipped a stuffed backpack over her arms and onto her shoulders. "Plan A?"

Following her lead, Cade worked his way into the straps of his own pack. Both of them were crammed full of items they would need. Double the amount in fact. In case something happened to one of them.

"Plan A," he confirmed. Reaching out, he grabbed her hand and held it tightly. "See you in a few minutes ok?"

Violet eyes searched his face for a moment, then she nodded. "I'll be here. Waiting for your slow ass to catch up."

***

He walked away from the spot where they had watched from atop the hill. Once, he glanced back in time to see her round the tree line and disappear from view. She reminded him of Hannah in certain ways. Such a strong person for a body that seemed almost frail. Someone who would fight to the end for something they believed in. Hannah had believed in him.

Cade shook off the sudden morose mood that descended on him at the thought of Hannah. He needed a clear head for this. If they were going to get in and out without being spotted, he had to pay attention. It wasn't the time for happy or unhappy thoughts about his past life.

Nor was it time to be distracted by thoughts of Eddie. He would have to deal with whatever situation that was when this was over. When he and Raine had gone in and made it out alive.

Her words echoed in his head. _They'll kill me._ He shivered and resolved not to let that happen. If there were anything he could possibly do to keep it from happening, he would. Carefully he settled the pack on his shoulders, mindful of the contents.

***

As she walked away, she knew he would stop to look back. Knew he would think of Hannah. Sometimes she wished she could just tell him. But knowing might hurt him even more than not knowing did.

Raine sighed softly. She wasn't cut out for this kind of battle. Not one that included hand to hand combat like this would. She would lose. This was something she knew. But there was no one else to do it. Just her and Cade. Two people who would always be a million miles away from anyone else. Who would always be different. There was nothing they could do about that she supposed. A gift was a gift, even if it was unwanted by the recipient.

Fingering the straps of the backpack lightly, she peered through the trees to the camp in the clearing. The bodies Mabus would inhabit were there. Maybe even Mabus himself.

It was time to go.

With a straight spine, Raine walked towards death.

*******

They had both studied the map she had drawn while sharing her body with someone else. Studied it enough that it was seared onto their brains. But standing in the brightly lit hallway, Cade suddenly wished he had the actual copy with him anyway. Just some kind of reassurance maybe. He couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was about to happen. That he was going to lose something, or someone, yet again.

Forcing his feet to move, he headed down the hall. The door on the left is where he needed to be. Where he needed to make the first drop. Sliding his back against the wall, he grasped the cool metal doorknob and twisted. Darkness closed in around him as he slid past the doorway, letting the door close softly behind him. Waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he knelt and slipped the pack from his shoulders. Unzipping the bag, he dug for a moment, finally coming up with what he was looking for.

Looking up, he let his eyes search the room for the best spot for the package.

***

Holding her breath, willing herself to be as unnoticeable as possible, Raine shrank back from the light that flooded the once dark room. Her eyes stung at the sudden light, but she knew she didn't have time to worry about that. Carefully, she eased around the corner of the desk she had managed to duck behind when she heard them coming and slid into the empty space beneath.

A privacy board had been placed on the back of the desk, covering the opening from nearly the floor to the desktop, but she managed to watch as the two guards swept the room.

"You sure you heard something?" one asked, glancing around the room.

"Thought so. Could have sworn I heard someone" the other voice trailed off and Raine saw him shrug. "I guess not."

The room went dark again and the door closed with a soft click. Letting out the breath she forgot she ha been holding, Raine stayed still until her body recovered for the quaking fear that had consumed it.

Slipping out from under the desk, she silently hoped Cade was doing better.

***

The last package had been placed and frankly, Cade wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of there. Curiosity pulled at the back of his mind, however, and he couldn't stop himself when he headed down a brightly lit, white walled hallway. To the chamber where Mabus should be.

Joshua's words swirled around in his mind, but he couldn't make his feet stop. He had to see.

See the creature that was trying to destroy his world.

The door opened easily and some silent alarm inside of him went off, but he ignored it. Stepping into the room, the world went instantly black and he crumbled to the ground.

***

Squishing it into place, Raine cursed softly at the gooey substance that insisted on sticking to her fingers. She had played with it a little at the trailer in order to get a feel for it and so Cade could show her what to do with it. How to make it have the most impact. But here, alone, it seemed to want to cling to her like cellophane full of static.

With a small grumble, she pressed the clay like substance into its final place and inserted the detonation mechanism. Maybe she'd get the hang of this explosives thing eventually.

Turning, she crammed the leftovers into the backpack and started to rise. Legs froze as the energy who had led her to this place suddenly materialized in front of her. Raine had never actually seen her like this before and she was first struck by how pretty the woman actually was.

Next she was struck by the emanation fear. Enough fear in fact, that it nearly sent Raine sprawling to the floor.

It only took a few seconds for Raine to understand what had happened. For the images flashing in her mind to be woven together to make some kind of sense.

"Shit," she managed as she moved to the door as fast as she dared.

***

Cade came to slowly, his head feeling as if it might explode. His first instinct was to touch it, make sure it hadn't exploded, which was when he found he had been secured.

To a table.

Hands and feet.

This wasn't good.

Cracking his eyes open, he tried to figure out where he was without letting anyone know he was awake. He saw he was in a nearly empty room. The upright table he was attached to and some console in the far corner seemed to be the only things in it. Or at least the only things he could see without turning his head too much.

"Nice of you to join us," someone said from his left.

Not just someone. Cain. Groaning inwardly Cade turned his head gently to look at the large man who looked identical to his friend.

"Somehow I get the feeling I didn't have much of a choice."

"Not much," Cain agreed. "But then again, no one made you go into the room. No one made you breathe the gas. You made that choice on your own."

No matter how right the alien was, Foster couldn't make himself agree. Instead he carefully moved his head so he was facing forward once again. Across the room he could see the console clearly now. Another person, assumed to be Gua, was standing behind it. The man didn't even look up.

"Just get on with the torture already," he grumbled. "I've got places to go, people to see"

"Oh I'm sure you do." Cain's smile was sinister. "And I'm sure you'd like to be doing them with your friend as well." The black man leaned close enough to speak into Cade's ear. "She's nice enough to look at, but I have a feeling she's got a nasty mouth on her."

"And a temper to match," Cade said with a slight smirk. "Chances are, she's already trying to decide how to make Gua steak out of you guys."

"While I should probably be happy when I tell you she has already left the building, I can't help but add that I would have much rather she stayed. We have big plans for her."

"I'm sure she'd be ecstatic to know that."

"I'd ask you to tell her for me, but I have plans for you as well."

"And I'm oh so happy to hear it," Cade smarted, "Could you please get on with it already?"

Any retort Cain might have made was cut off as gunfire erupted outside of the door.

"What the hell was that?" Cain demanded as he backed away from his prisoner and looked at the door. The man behind the console shrugged, taking a step back in fear. "Well find out!" Cain demanded.

"Y-Yes sir," the man stuttered as he made a beeline for the door. 

As the Gua lackey swung open the door, Cade turned his head as far as he could in order to see what was happening. What he saw nearly floored him.

***

Raine hit the double steel doors at the end of the hallway without flinching. When she emerged on the other side, both guns were held just above waist level. Blue-black metal shone in the bright light of the hall, contrasting dramatically with the stark white walls.

The black leather duster flared behind her as she strode forward. Gunfire echoed loudly in the confined space as she used the mini automatic Uzi's to take out the two nearest Gua. Two men in white coats spasmed, then dissolved into red nothingness.

The half dozen other people who had been standing in the hall at the time of her dramatic entrance scattered, most of them dropping to the floor in hopes of getting out of the line of fire. A few pulled weapons of their own, only to be cut down brutally by her gunfire before they could actually use them.

Raine continued forward, her stride full of determination and confidence. She was obviously a woman on a mission. One who wasn't about to be stopped by a few aliens.

Gua fired from the steel doors, but shooting her in the back didn't even work. The bullets seemed to pass right through her. She spun, opening fire halfway through the spin, and washed the hall behind her with gunfire. More Gua fell, but she didn't stop until she was facing the direction she had been headed once more.

When the door opened, she kept moving steadily to her objective.

***

Cade could see down the hall as Raine came towards him like some kind of avenging angel.

The black coat billowed out behind her. Black, flat-soled boots couldn't be heard over the sound of gunfire. The line of black boots and jeans was broken by the white skin of her midriff and then continued by the black shirt she wore. Brilliant white light shown from behind her, streaking out in some kind of blinding white aura. A long braid fell against one shoulder, standing out against the black leather of the coat. Violet eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but Cade knew the look in them was cold. Firing stopped as the guns emptied and several Gua stepped from their cover.

In a move that Eddie would describe as "Lara Croft meets The Matrix", Raine held both guns out in front of her and fired the last round from each chamber. With nothing more than a slight twitch from her wrist, both clips fell cleanly away from the guns and clattered to the floor. Without missing a beat, she pulled both weapons back to her hips. Slamming them down against the unseen black holster riding her waist, there was a slight click as the new clips locked into place. In only a handful of seconds she was firing again.

Cade closed his eyes as she drew closer. _I'm going to die here_, he thought. _She's not going to see me and cut me down just killing these bastards. I'm not getting out of here alive._

More shots, this time they seemed further away, which didn't make sense to him. But he didn't dare open his eyes to question it. Doing so would mean seeing his death coming in the form of a friend and he wasn't sure he was prepared to handle that. Almost crying out as someone touched his shoulder, Foster's eyes snapped open in time to see Raine move around behind the table he was strapped to. He was trying to make sense of it, trying to process that she now looked nothing like the image in the hall and more like the person he had come into the compound with when a strap he hadn't realized was around his chest fell away.

"Don't move yet," Raine whispered from behind him, into his ear. He could feel her work at one of the wrist bindings. "And be quiet." When his wrist was free, she stepped back and looked around the room. "You should be able to undo the others," she told him distractedly.

"What's going on?" he asked as she crossed the room to the console.

"I'm rescuing you," she replied, her voice still soft. "But if you don't hurry, I'm going to leave you here."

Not needing to be told twice, Cade worked at his bindings, only looking up when the red lights flashed and the whoop of an alarm sounded.

"Please tell me you meant to do that," he hissed as he broke free of the final strap.

"We're going to need some cover in case I can't keep this up," she explained, not stopping to look at him as she continued tapping at keys on the console.

The faint sound of gunfire exploded outside once more and she winced in pain. It was then Cade realized blood was pouring from her nose. That it had stained the front of her shirt. He could see the drops fall as she kept at the console.

"An illusion then?" he asked, making his way towards her.

"Yeah. A very big illusion." Absently she wiped blood away with the back of a sleeve, leaving a red smear across her cheek. "I couldn't very well walk in. Unless I was heavily armed. With some kind of god code. And guns"

"Aren't your best weapon," Cade finished for her. He scanned the room, suddenly taking into account they were alone. "Where's Cain?"

"In the hall. He came out just before I came in. He thinks he's shooting at me in the hall still. And he's quite baffled as to why none of his shots seem to hit their target."

"Why can't I see it now?"

"Because I can't get you out of here if you can't see what's real. And it's hard to keep it up for this many people. And I have to keep myself able to kill them when need be. Wouldn't be effective otherwise."

Raine stepped from behind the console and seized his arm.

"Whatever you do, just keep following me," she ordered, "Don't let go of my hand. If you do, then you might fall into the illusion again."

She reached up and wiped more blood from her face. Cade thought he saw her flinch again bit didn't have time to question it as she let go of his arm and grabbed his hand. He could feel the warmth of her blood against his skin as she led him towards the door.

When they reached the threshold, he could see the phantom Raine standing in the middle of the hallway, still firing. Cain and another Gua were huddled behind some kind of supply cart, trying to keep out of the way of the bullets that were still flooding the hall. Had he not been running for is life, Cade might have found the sight at least slightly amusing. Joshua would never have cowered behind some supply cart.

"Stay low and against the wall. I'll make sure they're firing above us," she advised as she pulled him out into the tight space.

Leading him as quickly as she could while crouching low, Raine eased past the all to close aliens taking cover in another doorway. Then she led him by her other self and a shiver ran down his spine.

With a look back over her shoulder at him, she began whispering her instructions.

"After the double doors, go past the first intersection of the hall. At the next one, go right. At the end of that hall is some kind of fire exit. It will dump you out at the edge of the woods just opposite of where we came in. Don't worry about setting off the alarm that's what I set off earlier. Don't look back, just go."

"Where are you going?" he asked as uneasiness crawled up his spine.

Just then they reached the doors and she shoved him through roughly. Stumbling through them herself as soon as he cleared the steel, she staggered then fell against the wall. Pressing a hand to the right side of her abdomen, she looked up at him.

"I'm not going to make it out of here."

Cade was suddenly very aware of the blood. This crimson fluid not from her nose, but from the bullet hole in her side.

***

"Dammit," Cade breathed as he carried her into the tree line. "Raine, look at me!" He had no idea he was yelling. Not that it mattered since the alarm Raine set off was echoing through the trees.

Stumbling, he nearly dropped her as he tried to keep himself from sprawling across the ground. Blood sprayed from her mouth when she coughed, forcing him to stop. He eased her down to the ground as gently as possible. Her clothes and his were stained deep red with her blood. The red fluid was dripping down his arms, sliding to the tips of his fingers where it formed droplets and fell to the ground.

"Raine," Cade yelled again as he pressed a hand to the wound in her side. Blood was pouring freely from the hole and some dark part of his mind marveled that she hadn't already bled to death. "Come on Raine, don't die on me," he pleaded.

Tears welled in his eyes as he dug for the black cell phone with his free hand. Struggling a second to open it, he cursed himself at the loss of the few seconds. Finally he worked it open and hit the memory dial.

"Eddie!" Panic welled inside of him until it overflowed into his voice.

"Foster? Man, what's going on?"

"I have to do something," he was vaguely aware that he was bordering on hysteria. "She's dying."

"Who? Raine?" Eddie was trying to put the pieces together, but the panic that had taken over his friend hand managed to spill into the phone line and was now cluttering his mind.

"She's been shot Eddie." Cade sounded like he was crying and Eddie suddenly realized he was too. "Where's the nearest hospital?"

Fingers flew over the keys and in less than a minute Eddie had an answer.

"Northside hospital. About seven miles from the exit you guys took off the interstate. Can you get her there?"

"I have to Eddie. I can't let her die."

Seven miles. That was nothing. Not far at all. He could easily make seven miles. But could Raine?

"Dammit Raine, Look at me!" he demanded. "Open your damn eyes!"

She coughed again and he felt blood splatter against his face. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him. Managing a weak smile, her mouth moved, but no words came out. Words failed him as he realized violet eyes had faded to a pale lavender.

"Tell me what to do," he pleaded.

"It happens," she managed with difficulty, her voice whispered and hoarse. "You can't just take it back."

"It's not going to happen like this dammit! It can't happen like this," he insisted.

"I'm sorry," she told him as her eyes began to close.

"NO!"

Cade stood, anger flooding him, shoving panic and hysteria aside. He would not let this happen. Could not let this happen. He told her, gave her his word that they wouldn't kill her. He had to keep it. And he cared for her. He was tired of losing people he cared about.

"Touch her."

The voice came from beside him, barely a whisper.

He didn't question it. Dropping to his knees once again, Cade pressed both hands against the wound. The blood had slowed, but he knew that in this case it wasn't good. It meant she didn't have much blood left. What little was left seeped out, wetting the blood that had already dried on his hands and leaving fresh trails of it on his skin. It seemed to ignite, scorching him as it if were on fire. He started to pull away only to stop when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Feel her heartbeat. Put yourself inside of her."

A protest sprang to his lips but he bit it back. True, he had no idea how to do that, to feel those things that weren't a part of him. But any kind of protest would only use up the few precious seconds he had left to save her.

Closing his eyes, Cade tried to clear his mind of everything but Raine. The way her hair had caught the light during their first meal together. They way she had glared at him when he kicked the bed. Later how she felt lying next to him. How she had held her ground against Cain and won. Even the way her blood felt, gushing out against his hand. Blood never lies. It was a pure form of who she was. More images and thoughts of her filled his mind and slowly he became aware of the tingling.

It started with his hands, covered in her blood. It crept up his arms, filling his joints with the feeling. Soon his shoulders were singing with it. Even though the sensation was spreading across his chest, he could feel his heart slow. Feel the beats falter slightly as it came into time with hers. Within a few moments Cade could feel her body from within his own. Feel the shallow attempts at breathing her lungs were making. Feel her heart as it tripped over beats. Feel the blood leaving her body. His hands against her skin.

"Kiss her." The voice was in his ear, close enough he could feel the breath against his neck. In the back of his mind, the voice triggered a memory but he was so full of Raine that he couldn't hold on to it. Didn't want to hold on to it.

Leaning froward, he felt his hands slip from her sides, but he didn't open his eyes. He didn't need to. Every wrinkle, every scar, every imperfection of their body was known to him intimately. Their lips met and he felt the explosion inside of them both. The feeling was different for each of them, but they locked together like they were made to fit.

Something inside of him had been turned on. Like a faucet at the sink. He could feel something from within him flow outward, spreading, reaching for the emptiness. Trying to fill what was hollow. At the same time, he could feel the chasm inside of Raine. Feel the jagged edges as if it were made of stone. And then it was being smoothed. Filled with what was flowing from him. Sucking it up greedily.

"Share your energy with her. Make it available to her. Let her body repair the damage." A hand stroked the back of his head. "You are giving her life energy Cade. But you must decide when to stop giving. You will have to decide when she has been given enough to live without hurting you."

His hands sought her side once more. Fingers moved of their own accord until they found the hole in her abdomen left in her by the Gua. Pressing his palm against it once more, he opened himself up completely.

Picturing the wound closing, her tried to force the tissues together. The energy flowed freely between them and the temptation was there to just let himself flow into her completely. To become a part of her. She would never have approved of that nor allowed him to do such a thing and he knew it. But he also knew she would do the same thing for him if the situation were reversed. She already had once. When it felt to him as if the hole inside her had been sealed, Cade broke the kiss.

With one hand still against her side, he opened his eyes.

"I'm so proud of you," a voice from in front of him said.

Eyes followed a trail of energy, moving upward until they rested, unbelieving, on his mother's face.

"Mom?" The words escaped, strangled, from his throat.

"I always knew you were special," she told him as she smiled down on him.

"I always knew too," the voice at his side whispered.

Head whipping around, Cade came face to face with Hannah.

"Oh God," he managed.

"I love you Cade. I'll always love you." She began to fade with her words.

"No!" he yelled, as if some kind of force of will could make her stay. Looking around frantically, he searched for Hannah. She was gone, but he became suddenly aware that he was not alone.

Energies huddled around them. Each one gave off a different color of light. Each had a varying degree of brightness that lit the trees eerily. Some energies shimmered. Some pulsed. And some just remained constant. Sizes were different as well. But they were all worried. Scared for the person who had spoken with them, given them comfort. Allowed them to say good bye to those they loved. None of them wanted her energy to join them. Not like this.

"You have to hurry," Hannah's voice sounded beside him again. "They're beginning to search the woods."

He wanted to beg her to stay, to tell her how much he missed her, but she was gone again. He could feel it. And then they were all gone. The energies he had seen now invisible to his eye. The trees were simple, lit only with waning daylight.

Raine gasped.

Jumping, startled, Cade fell back onto his butt. Realizing she was breathing, he snatched her hand from the ground and held it between his own.

"Raine."

Eyes opened slowly. Not the brilliant violet he was used to seeing, but still violet.

"Cade?"

"I'm here," he answered as he smoothed hair away from her face. "Are you ok?"

A slight look of confusion crossed her face.

"I'm bleeding."

His eyes moved from her face to her side. Blood still oozed from the wound. Even though blood still flowed, the hole seemed to be smaller. Scooping her up as gently as possible, he rose and started for the car they had hidden earlier.

"Hang on. There's a hospital close by."

Her head eased down against his shoulder and she gave a slight nod. He thought she would be ok when she stiffened. Eyes popped open and she looked up at him.

"No!" she protested, suddenly struggling in his arms. "You have to stop!"

"Raine!" Holding her as tightly as he dared, he shook her once. "Tell me!"

"We have to set them off. We have to finish it."

The explosives they had set.

"It won't do any good now. They're searching the woods as we speak."

"But the husks. We still have to destroy them."

"We don't have the detonator."

"Pocket."

Cade let her slide from his arms until she was standing unsteadily on her feet. She slid a shaky hand into her pocket and pulled out a small device the size of a keychain car alarm.

"How'd you get it this small?" he asked.

"Took it apart. Joshua thought we might need it."

"And here he is, saving my ass again."

Taking it from her, Cade turned, pointing the device the direction they had come. With a soft mutter, he pressed the button.

The explosion rocked them both, even at the distance they had managed to cover. Raine cried out in pain as they fell, jarring the hole in her side. Not taking the chance that all of the Gua had decided to go look at what happened, Cade picked her up and moved as fast as possible.

***

"Can I get some help here please?" Cade yelled as he gently placed Raine on an empty gurney. He was worried again. Her bleeding had increased on the way to the hospital. He didn't feel that she was slipping away from him again, but he was still worried. Obviously his healing skills weren't quite as good as hers.

Attendants rushed over immediately, swarming over her. "What happened?" one of them asked as he pulled a stethoscope from the pocket of his white lab coat.

"She got shot. We were hiking in the woods, at the nature preserve, and we heard a shot. We don't know where it came from, but it must have ricocheted and hit her."

"All right," the attendant nodded. "We'll take it from here. You can wait in the waiting room."

They began to wheel her away, but she bucked in protest as they tried to place an IV line. Reaching out a hand, she motioned for Cade. When he bent close, she whispered in his ear, "You have to get out of here. They will have to report a gunshot."

Foster almost protested, but he knew she was right. While most people thought he was dead, there was no reason to push the matter. But he was worried. He wanted to stay with her.

Her hand slipped away from his and they pushed her down the hall. Cade watched them go until she was safely behind the emergency room doors.

*******

"Hey Foster," Eddie piped up after being silent for nearly an hour, "You might want to look at this."

Rising Cade moved to Eddie's side and stared at the screen. An email was open and he began to read.

> > _Hey guys, just a head's up to let you know it's all good. Everything is as it should be for now I think. Thanks for saving my ass._
>> 
>> _There's a surprise for you both taped to the underside of the Great One's desk. Might help your mission._
>> 
>> _Your favorite weather girl_

"Saving her ass? Man, if it hadn't been for her, my ass would have been done for."

Cade frowned slightly as he reached under the desk. "Huh?"

Eddie blinked at his friend. "You didn't know? I mean she didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"After you guys left. I was setting up camp. I heard someone my grandmother I think, telling me that I had to leave. I had to find a new place." The hacker shivered slightly. "I no sooner got packed up and back on the interstate when a bunch of state troopers swarmed the camp site. They knew I was there."

Pulling the manila envelope away from the desk, Cade slipped it free and into the open. Eddie leaned forward to get a look at what was inside as Foster opened it. Dumping the contents on the top of Eddie's already cluttered desk, they looked through the stuff.

"What is all of this?" 

"Backing," Eddie smiled. "Bank accounts. She set us up." He opened one of the ledgers and let out a low whistle. "And from the looks of things, money will not be an issue ever again."

Looking at the other papers, Cade realized she had also set up identities for them. And if he knew Raine, they would be completely solid as well. With a sticky note, she had written, _Figured you guys could provide your own pictures for these. Everything else is already here._

They began to put the items back into the envelope carefully. They'd look back over them later when it was time to actually deal with the money. At the bottom of the pile was another note.

> > _Hey guys, figured you could use the help on this. The accounts have been set up so that they can never be overdrawn. Both of you have a savings account and a checking account in the bundle. I went ahead and set up identities for you both. The names you are using will hold up under pretty much everything, unless you do something stupid. Left it open for you guys to put pictures in. Figured Eddie could do that._
>> 
>> _Eddie, maybe you should look up Marianne just to say hi. I'm sure she'd love to hear from you._
>> 
>> _Cade, they both say hello. Sorry I couldn't tell you sooner, but I wasn't sure how you'd handle it honestly. I guess it's all good now. Anyway, I just wanted you to know I'm not a million miles away anymore. Maybe just 999,999 miles. But that's closer than before, which counts for something._
>> 
>> _Well, it's time for me to get back to work. Places to go, dead people to see. Catch you guys later_
>> 
>> _Raine_

"Both?" Eddie looked at his friend.

"Long story man."

The hacker nodded. "That's ok, we're heading to Maine next. We got time."

"A million miles worth."

"Let's go then."

  
March 2001


End file.
